The legendary Russian Tea Room, which closed in 2002 after the death of former owner Warner LeRoy, is back, reopening last month under the ownership of RTR Funding Group, led by Gerald N. Lieblich (who also owns Beppe). LeRoy's lavish interior was meticulously restored, including a re-creation of the stained-glass ceilings and chandeliers. (The originals, which were LeRoy family property, were removed from the space upon closure.) Exec chef Gary Robins (formerly of the shuttered Biltmore Room) describes his food as "modern Continental, influenced by Russia and the Republics bordering it." Russian pelmeni dumplings, for instance, are stuffed with braised oxtail and foie gras and served in a rich broth with autumn root vegetables and truffles. The caviar program will rely mostly on domestic and imported farmed roe, but the restaurant also has a stock of wild Iranian. • Late next spring keep your eyes peeled for Daniel Boulud's yet-to-be-named 100 seat wine bar (serving a full dinner menu) at 1900 Broadway. Boulud's wine director Daniel Johnnes, who joined Boulud on European reconnaissance missions to study wine bars, is key to the creation and operation of the new spot. The space will feature a charcuterie station—Boulud recruited Parisian charcutier Gilles Vérot to consult—and lower level wine cave. Exec chef will be Ed Cotton, who has been working with Boulud at Daniel and DB Bistro Moderne for several years. • In October Michael "Bao" Huynh (chef/partner at Bao 111 and Bao Noodles) teamed up with Drew Nieporent of Myriad Restaurant Group to morph the Tribakery space into a modern southern Vietnamese spot, Mai House. • The Laurent Tourondel juggernaut continues with the October debut of BLT Burger at 470 Sixth Ave. and a BLT Steak outpost at 1625 I St. N.W. in Washington, D.C., in November. • Ivy Stark, who was corporate chef at Rosa Mexicano, will be at the stoves as exec chef of the bi-level Mediterranean-themed Amalia (204 W. 55th St.), opening next month. Owner Greg Brier also owns Aspen with partner Vikram Chatwal, who owns the adjacent Dream Hotel. • Dos Caminos spawned a third, three-story outpost at 825 Third Ave. (formerly La Maganette) last month. Exec chef Scott Linquist oversees all tres. • James Duffy, Gerard McEntee, and Ed Sheehan, who were partners with Matthew Kenney at the short-lived Heirloom, transformed the space—sans Kenney—into Core One Nine One in October. Chef Stephan Boissel, who hails from the Gilt kitchen, is doing modern American small plates. • Goblin Market, which opened in September in the former home of Soho Cantina, sports a Victorian look and menu of new American cuisine. Owners are NYC industry vets and friends exec chef Richard Pelz and Richard Snyder. • Robb Garceau, formerly top toque at the luxury catering company Sonnier & Castle, is the new exec chef for Hudson Yards Catering, Union Square Hospitality Group's fine dining, chef-driven catering operation. He replaces Kerry Heffernan, who left last spring. • Meanwhile in September Sonnier & Castle nabbed Cornelius Gallagher as Garceau's replacement. Gallagher was most recently exec chef at Oceana, which earned a Michelin star under his watch. His Oceana replacement is Ben Pollinger, who comes from USHG's Tabla (thus squaring the circle). • Vicki Freeman and Marc Meyer, owners of Five Points and Cookshop, bought Provence in October. They plan to keep the name and menu style, but alter the interior. • In October Michael White left Fiamma. Christian Fantoni, who has cooked at Fiamma for some years, is his replacement. • Jimmy Lappalainen, who worked at Aquavit earlier in his career, is the new exec chef at Riingo. Lappalainen replaces Johan Svensson, who pivoted over to Aquavit. Svensson takes over for Nils Norén, who is now at The French Culinary Institute as vice president of culinary arts (a newly formed position). • At DavidBurke & Donatella, Eric Hara replaces David Amorelli as chef de cuisine and Monica Bellissimo steps in for Richard Bies as exec pastry chef. • In related news, there's a new pastry chef at Donatella Arpaia and Michael Psilakis' Dona. Bill Corbett, formerly pastry sous chef at WD-50, replaced Nancy Olson in October. Dona also brought on board Jason Hall, recently of Craft, as chef de cuisine (a new position).
Kevin Rathbun, wife Melissa Rathbun, and business partners Cliff Bramble and Kirk Parks, who together own Rathbun's and Krog Bar, have hatched a plan to open Kevin Rathbun Steak at 154 Krog St. next spring. The design for the 180 seater, vision of Atlanta-based Johnson Studio, includes a wine tower and open kitchen. • Last month, Bob Amick and Todd Rushing, owners of Concentrics Restaurants (ONE.midtown kitchen, TWO.urban licks, and piebar), opened Trois at 1180 W. Peachtree St. The modern French spot spans three floors of a new skyscraper overlooking the Santiago Calatrava–designed Atlanta Symphony Center, currently under construction. Exec chef Jeremy Lieb has migrated from Las Vegas, where he was top toque at Le Cirque. • In related news, ONE.midtown kitchen nabbed Tom Harvey, formerly of Nava, to replace Richard Blais as exec chef. • Last month, Rodney Wedge, owner of Fuego Spanish Grill, launched Sweet Lowdown, a lively double-decker with one lounge, two dining rooms, and three kitchens serving globally accented New South cuisine at 942 Peachtree St. Exec chef Carmen A. Cappello is formerly of M!X Restaurant. Meanwhile at M!X, exec sous chef Matt Swickerath was promoted to exec chef.
After a sleek Michael Brennan redesign and menu revamp, in October Cozmo's Corner Grill (San Francisco) morphed into Circa, serving small plates of modernized American classics (think pb&j, foie gras, and Dungeness crab tater tots). Sommelier Mark Bright, who created the lists at Dosa and Oola, assembled a stellar collection of hard-to-find wines. Exec chef Erik Hopfinger was the last Cozmo's chef and is the creative force behind the ambitious new menu. • Michael Otsuka, who was briefly at Lark Creek Inn (Larkspur), is back at the stoves in SF at Neiman Marcus' Rotunda. • In Half Moon Bay Paul Shenkman, owner of Cetrella, introduced Sam's Chowder House. • Responding to customer requests, Michael Mina revamped the menu at Arcadia (San Jose), slanting it more to the tastes of steakhouse denizens. • After 12 years, Laura Cunningham left The French Laundry as director of operations. Stay tuned for her next move.
In October The Grand Del Mar resort introduced a high-end dining venue with the debut of 90 seater Addison, whose luxe Mediterranean interior numbers an earthy palette, indoor fireplaces, breezy patios, and panoramic views of the golf course. Exec chef William Bradley hails from Vu (Scottsdale, AZ); his menu is a California/Mediterranean hybrid. Pastry chef Jack Fisher worked recently at Nine-Ten (La Jolla, CA), while sommelier Jesse Rodriguez is a French Laundry (Yountville, CA) alum. • Brian Pekarcik was promoted from sous chef to exec chef at Bradley Ogden's Arterra, replacing Carl Schroeder. Also new is wine director Ted Glennon, who takes over for Brian Donegan.
In September José Andrés and partner Rob Wilder closed Oyamel in its Crystal City location but will move it next month to the Capital's Penn Quarter at 401 Seventh St. N.W., near sister restaurants Café Atlántico, Zaytinya, and Jaleo (the Crystal City Jaleo outpost remains open). D.C.–based Adamstein & Demetriou, designers of the original Oyamel, will give the new venue an urban Mexican look. — Meanwhile, in Crystal City, chef Roberto Donna, who temporarily closed Galileo da Roberto Donna, Laboratorio del Galileo, Osteria del Galileo, and Galileo Grill for massive renovations, took over the former Oyamel space to open the Adamstein & Demetriou–designed Bebo Trattoria da Roberto Donna in October. Donna will be cooking wood-oven fare at Bebo with his Galileo exec chef Amy Brandwein during the renovations. • Notable recent internal promotions at Kinkead's include Hichem Lahreche to pastry chef, replacing Chris Kujala. Todd Schiller is also now chef de cuisine, taking over from Jerry Cousson. • At Jurys Washington Hotel's new Dupont Grille exec chef Russel Cunningham hails from the Washington Convention Center, where he was exec banquet manager for Centerplate. He replaces Duane Keller.
Last month Wilson Encarnacion and Richard Weisbord morphed World Fusion into Cebu, serving Filipino cuisine with a Spanish flair. And last month the duo opened Isla Ibiza, a Spanish tapas concept, at 1176 N. Third St. At press time chef details at both venues were still being hashed out. • Tria, Jon Myerow's bar and cafe focusing on a trinity of fermented foodstuff—wine, beer, and cheese—spawns a sister location next month at 1137 Spruce St. Tria's chef, Mark Muszynski, will oversee both kitchens. In related news, in October Myerow opened Tria Fermentation School (1601 Walnut St.), offering classes to laymen and pros. • The Oceanaire Seafood Room, a high-end seafood chain based in Minneapolis with locations in Seattle, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Dallas, San Diego, and Baltimore, launched a Philly outpost (700 Walnut St.) in October. Exec chef/operating partner Anthony Bonett is well versed in seafood cookery from his stint as top toque at Philadelphia Fish & Co. At press time, Oceanaire outlets were also opening in Houston and Miami and plans were in the works for an Orlando venue.
As of September, Steven Chiappetti, who made his name at Mango and recently worked at Café Le Coq (Oak Park), is at the helm at Chicago's Viand, which has been retooled as an American bistro. "It's literally a whole new restaurant," he explains. "I'm serving modern American food, very reminiscent of what I did at Mango." Chiappetti and his wife, Leslie Chiappetti, also opened Banana Bakery at 10423 W. Cermak Rd. (Westchester), specializing in such classic American baked goods as homemade doughnuts, muffins, and banana bread, along with their chocolate line, Mr. Chimp's Chocolate Factory.
The splashy Eleven, a restaurant-cum-nightclub, opens this month in an historic building (8811 Santa Monica Blvd.) that was once a bank and later a recording studio in West Hollywood. Exec chef Vincent Manna earned his stripes at Spago (Beverly Hills), L'Orangerie (L.A.), and Mélisse (Santa Monica). Owners are Hollywood producer Sid Krofft and entrepreneur Richard Grossi. • Last month Tony Riviera, industry veteran and creator of Primo Gelato (sold in restaurants and online), and partner Charlton E. Lui opened Caffe Primo at 8590 Sunset Blvd., serving Riviera's signature gelato and sorbetto, coffee drinks, and light fare. The team hopes to franchise the concept.
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